1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever fitting type connector structured such as to rotate a lever interposed between both of the connectors fitted to each other, so as to convert a lever operating force into a fitting force between both of the connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a lever fitting type connector, there has been proposed a structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a lever fitting type connector 1 is generally constituted by a female connector 2 mounted to a side of equipment or the like, a male connector 3 to which a wire harness (not shown) is connected, and a lever 4 interposed between the female connector 2 and the male connector 3. A plurality of terminal receiving chambers 3a is formed in the male connector 3. A terminal (not shown), which is connected to an edge of each of electric wires of the wire harness, is received in each of the terminal receiving chambers 3a. 
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the lever 4 is arranged astride both upper and lower sides of the male connector 3. The lever 4 is pivoted in a rotating manner and connected to a cylindrical boss portion 3b protruding from the male connector 3, and the male connector 3 and the lever 4 to which are connected are temporarily fitted within the female connector 2.
In the temporarily fitting state mentioned above, by pressing an operation portion 4a of the lever 4, the lever 4 rotates around an engagement projection 4b engaged with the female connector 2, the engagement projection forming a point of support. Accordingly, the boss portion 3b forms a point of application, and presses the male connector 3 into the female connector 2, so as to regularly fit. An operation force of the operation portion 4a can be converted into the fitting force of the male connector 3.
However, in the proposed lever fitting type connector 1, a fitting force is generated in the lever 4 by applying the operation force in a pressing direction to the operation portion 4a. Further, at an initial mounting position (refer to FIG. 1) of the lever 4 in a state in which the male connector 3 and the female connector 2 are separated from each other, in order to secure a pressing amount of the operation portion 4a, the operation portion 4a is mounted so that the operation portion 4a protrudes a distance L outward from the male connector 3 (refer to FIG. 2). Hence, the lever 4 connected to the male connector 3 is protruded, whereby the male connector 3 is wholly made large. In particular, at a time of connecting the lever fitting type connector 1 as a part of the wire harness connected to a lot of electrical parts in a vehicle or the like, the male connector 3 constituting a portion connecting to the wire harness is made large. Accordingly, an opening area of a gap for passing the male connector 3 becomes large. That is, a great space for passing the enlarged male connector 3 is required in a passage for arranging the wire harness.
Accordingly, it is necessary to intend to reduce a protruding amount of the lever 4 so as to make a whole of the male connector 3 compact. However, an amount of rotational operation of the lever 4 becomes necessarily small. Therefore, a servo assisting effect applied to the point of application in the lever 4 is reduced, and a sufficient fitting force can not be obtained.
In the lever fitting type connector 1, a mounting direction of the lever 4 is previously fixed to a constant direction. Hence, a direction of taking out the wire harness connected to the male connector 3 is determined by a direction of arranging the operation portion 4a of the lever 4. Therefore, a great restriction is applied to a direction of the lever fitting type connector 1, and a freedom of the wire harness in a connecting direction is reduced. Further, the restriction of the wire harness in a connecting direction is given in requirement of vehicle such as a right-handle drive, a left-handle drive or the like.
In the lever fitting type connector 1 mentioned above, the structure of the lever fitting type connector 1 is made such that the lever 4 is fitted to an outer side of the male connector 3 and is fitted to the female connector 2 in this fitting state. Further, there is required a space for engaging the engagement projection 4b of the lever 4 with the female connector 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, a whole thickness of the lever fitting type connector 1 is determined by a summation of a thickness a of the male connector 3, a thickness b of the lever 4, an engaging (protruding) space c of the engagement projection 4b, and a substantial thickness d of the female connector 2. As a result, a whole thickness of the lever fitting type connector 1 is increased. As mentioned above, the lever fitting type connector 1 is made thick, so that the lever fitting type connector 1 makes large. Accordingly, a large space is also required in the passage of arranging the wire harness.
First object of the present invention is to intend to make a whole structure of the connector compact while sufficiently securing an amount of rotational operation of a lever. Second object of the present invention is to freely change a mounting direction of the lever in a width direction. Third object of the present invention is to make a whole thickness of the connector small, so as to intend to make the structure of the connector further compact.
The first aspect of the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector comprising: a first connector; a second connector fitted to the first connector; and a lever interposed between the first connector and the second connector, and converting an operation force applied to an operation portion into a fitting force between the first connector and the second connector, wherein the lever is rotatably pivoted on the first connector, and an engagement portion engaging with the lever is provided on the second connector, wherein a standing mechanism is provided between the lever and the second connector, and the standing mechanism stands the lever when temporarily fitting the first connector to the second connector, wherein the first connector and the second connector are regularly fixed to each other by applying an operation force to the operation portion in a standing state of the lever.
In this lever fitting type connector, by temporarily fitting to both of the connectors, the lever rotatably pivoted on the first connector is stood up by the standing mechanism. Due to the standing-up of the lever, it is possible to secure a sufficient amount of rotational operation in the lever. It is possible to sufficiently obtain a servo assisting function applied by the lever, so as to easily and securely execute a regular fitting to between both of the connectors. Accordingly, in a state before temporarily fitting to both of the connectors, that is, in a state in which the first connector and the second connector are separated, it is possible to mount the lever on the first connector, so as not to protrude from the first connector. Accordingly, it is possible to make the connector compact as a whole in a state that the lever is mounted on the first connector. Further, it is possible to make the space for arranging the wire harness connected to the connector small.
The second aspect of the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector comprising: a first connector having a hood portion; a second connector fitted within the hood portion of the first connector; and a lever interposed between the first connector and the second connector, and converting an operation force applied to an operation portion into a fitting force between the first connector and the second connector, wherein the lever is outward fitted to the hood portion and detachably pivoted on the first connector, and an a plurality of engagement portions provided in the second connector are engaged with the lever, and a groove portion formed in the hood portion escapes the engagement portion, and wherein the engagement portions and the groove portion are substantially symmetrical about a supporting engagement portion in a width direction.
In this lever fitting type connector, the engagement portion is engaged with the lever, and the groove portion escapes the engagement portion. The engagement portion and the groove portion are respectively formed substantially and symmetrically in the width direction around the supporting engagement portion. According to the structure, even in the case that the lever, which is pivoted in a detaching manner to the first connector in the outward fitting state, is pivoted in a state of reversing in the width direction of the first connector, it is possible to secure an inherent function executed between the lever and the engagement portion. Therefore, it is possible to optionally reverse the mounting direction of the lever in correspondence to the direction of taking out the wire harness connected to the first connector. Accordingly, it is possible to increase a freedom of a direction of connecting the wire harness to the connector.
The third aspect of the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector comprising: a first connector having a hood portion; a second connector fitted within the hood portion of the first connector; and a lever interposed between the first connector and the second connector, and converted an operation force applied to an operation portion into a fitting force between the first connector and the second connector, wherein the lever is outward fitted and detachably pivoted on the second connector, a plurality of engagement portions are provided in the hood portion of the first connector, and the engagement portions are symmetrical about a supporting engagement portion in a width direction.
The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector comprising: a first connector; a second connector fitted to the first connector; and a lever interposed between the first connector and the second connector, and converting an operation force applied to an operation portion into a fitting force between the first connector and the second connector, wherein in a state of outward fitting the lever to the first connector, a thickness of an engagement portion, which is provided in the second connector and engaged with the lever, is set to be thinner than a thickness of the first connector.
According to this lever fitting type connector, the lever is arranged in an outer side of the first connector. However, since the engagement portion engaged with the lever can be provided within the thickness of the first connector, a thickness of a whole of the lever fitting type connector can be constituted by three thickness elements comprising a thickness of the second connector, a thickness of the first connector and a thickness of the lever. Accordingly, a protruding amount of the engagement portion does not affect. Therefore, it is possible to make the thickness of a whole of the lever fitting type connector small so as to make the structure compact. Accordingly, it is possible to make the space for passing the wire harness therethrough small at a time of arranging the wire harness.
The fifth aspect of the present invention provides a lever fitting type connector according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the standing mechanism comprising: a first engagement portion provided on the lever; and a second engagement portion provided on the second connector and engaged with the first engagement portion, wherein the standing mechanism is constituted such that the first connector is fitted to the second connector, so that the first connector is engaged with the second engagement portion, and wherein the first connector is further fitted to the second connector, so that the lever rotates and stands up about a pivot portion.